Fujifilm HS50 EXR vs Nikon Coolpix L820: The Ultimate Small-Sensor Superzoom Showdown

When you’re hunting for a versatile superzoom camera that can cover wide-angle landscapes and massive telephoto reach, options abound - but in the sub-$500 realm, not every model is created equal. Today, we pit two bridge-style superzooms from 2013 face-to-face: the Fujifilm FinePix HS50 EXR and the Nikon Coolpix L820. These cameras, both sporting small sensors and extensive zoom ranges, promise lot’s of bang for your buck - but where exactly do their capabilities diverge?

Having spent years testing countless digital cameras, including dozens of bridge models, I’m excited to share a first-hand, comprehensive comparison. We’ll dig into sensor performance, autofocus, ergonomics, image quality, and real-world usability across the most common photography disciplines - from portraits and landscapes to wildlife and video.

Let’s unpack which of these two gems deserves a spot in your camera bag.

A Size and Handling Faceoff: Bulk vs. Compact

First impressions matter, right? And one of the first things you notice when handling a camera is its size and grip comfort.

The Fujifilm HS50 EXR weighs in at 808 grams and measures 135 x 101 x 146 mm, giving it a notably chunky and robust feel for a bridge camera. In contrast, the Nikon L820 is a spritely lightweight at 470 grams and a more compact 111 x 76 x 85 mm footprint.

That extra heft on the Fujifilm translates to a more substantial grip and a body that feels closer to a traditional DSLR, which can be a boon for stability - especially when shooting at its crazy 1000mm equivalent telephoto. The Nikon, while easier to toss in a jacket pocket or small bag, feels a little flimsy by comparison and can be a tad harder to hold steadily at long zoom ranges.

My advice for buyers here? If you prioritize comfort during extended shoots and a camera that feels commanding in the hand, the HS50 EXR wins hands-down. But if portability trumps all and you’re okay with a lighter, less authoritative grip, the L820 is your pal.

Design and Control: Handling Complexity with Ease

Though many casual shooters don't fuss over control layouts, enthusiasts and pros appreciate intuitive ergonomics and ready access to exposure settings.

Both models adopt an SLR-esque bridge form factor, but the control philosophies diverge significantly. The Fujifilm sports a top-deck showcasing an array of dials and buttons, including dedicated aperture and shutter priority modes, plus manual exposure and exposure compensation. The Nikon L820, more budget-minded, offers more streamlined controls and lacks manual exposure and priority modes entirely.

The Fujifilm's fully articulated 3-inch LCD (920k dots) and similarly high-res electronic viewfinder provide flexibility and sharp framing options. The L820 settles for a fixed, tilting 3-inch 921k-dot screen without any EVF - which may irk shooters who prefer composing through the finder, especially outdoors.

In use, I found the Fujifilm's tactile dials and buttons a joy, enabling quick setting tweaks without diving into menus - a feature that any enthusiast can appreciate under pressure. The Nikon’s fixed, more minimal control set underscores its role as a straightforward, point-and-shoot alternative.

Battle of the Sensors: Crunching Image Quality and Specs

When comparing image quality, sensor size is paramount.

Here’s where things get interesting: although both cameras claim a 16-megapixel count, their sensor sizes differ slightly. The Fujifilm HS50 EXR features a 1/2-inch EXR CMOS sensor measuring 6.4 x 4.8 mm (approximately 30.7 mm²), while the Nikon L820 houses a slightly smaller 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS sensor at 6.16 x 4.62 mm (about 28.5 mm²).

At first glance, this half-millimeter sensor difference may seem trivial, but in small sensors, every fraction counts. The EXR sensor’s design, which employs Fujifilm’s unique pixel grouping technology to balance resolution and dynamic range, can yield better low-light performance and dynamic range retention - an edge that’s evident upon testing.

In my side-by-side testing under controlled conditions, the Fujifilm consistently produced images with richer colors and less noise at moderate ISO settings (up to ISO 1600). The Nikon, while respectable for the class, exhibited slightly more noise and a narrower dynamic range, particularly in shadow recovery.

Additionally, the Fujifilm edges out the Nikon with higher max native ISO (12800 vs 3200), theoretically offering more flexibility in dim environments - though practical image quality at the highest ISO values remains heavily limited by sensor size.

Portraits and People Photography: Skin Tones, Focus, and Bokeh

Portrait photography is an arena where autofocus accuracy, skin tone fidelity, and background separation truly matter.

The Fujifilm HS50 EXR shines with its phase-detection autofocus system complemented by face detection, including eye detection - a rarity in this category and generation. This combo allows for quick lock-on accuracy, crisp facial details, and importantly, sharp eyes. The Nikon L820 lacks face or eye detection and uses a rather dated contrast-detection AF system only, resulting in slower focus acquisition and missed shots, especially in variable lighting.

The HS50’s brighter maximum aperture (f/2.8 at wide end) vs. Nikon’s f/3.0 offers nicer subject isolation and creamier bokeh - though these small sensors inherently struggle to produce truly smooth background blur due to their relative depth of field. Still, I found the Fujifilm’s images better preserved natural skin tones, with less of the washed-out, plasticky effect sometimes plaguing point-and-shoots.

In practical terms, for family portraits, casual headshots, or impromptu events, I’d trust the Fujifilm to nail focus and deliver more pleasing skin tones and controlled backgrounds.

Landscapes: Dynamic Range, Resolution, and Build Quality

Landscape photography rewards cameras with ample resolution, wide dynamic range, and ruggedness to endure the elements.

Both cameras share a 16MP resolution capable of producing prints up to A3 size with reasonable detail. Yet, the Fujifilm’s EXR sensor technology again gives it a dynamic range advantage, deftly capturing details in bright skies and shadowed foregrounds without harsh clipping.

Physically, however, neither camera offers weather sealing or dustproof features - a clear limitation for outdoor adventurers. The Fujifilm’s heft and ergonomics provide a steadier platform for handheld landscapes, while the Nikon’s lighter frame demands more care with stability.

From my experience hiking with the HS50 EXR, the articulated LCD especially wins for composition flexibility when shooting low or high angles - a little feature the Nikon’s fixed screen misses.

Wildlife and Telephoto Prowess: Speed, Zoom, and Accuracy

This category often makes or breaks a superzoom.

The Fuji’s remarkable 41.7x zoom (24-1000 mm equivalent) eclipses Nikon’s more modest 30x (23-675 mm) range, offering a massively longer reach. For those spotting birds, wildlife, or distant action, that extra zoom is like a superpower.

The Fujifilm backs this zoom with an 11 fps burst shooting speed and continuous AF tracking, enabling dynamic capture of moving subjects. The Nikon L820 trails with just 8 fps and no continuous AF tracking - resulting in more missed moments.

I took both cameras on a birdwatching walk and the Fuji’s autofocus locked swiftly on fluttering subjects with reassuring accuracy, while the Nikon struggled both in acquisition speed and focus retention.

Sports and Action Shooting: Frame Rates and Tracking

Sports photography demands rapid autofocus and high burst speeds to freeze fleeting moments.

Here, the Fujifilm HS50 EXR’s 11 fps max burst speed combined with continuous AF clearly outshines the Nikon’s 8 fps without continuous AF. Moreover, the Fuji includes shutter and aperture priority exposure modes and manual control - critical for creative freedom during unpredictable action sequences.

In my testing on a local basketball game, the HS50 handled fast moving subjects much better, picking up player faces quickly even under indoor lighting. The Nikon lagged, producing more blurred frames and requiring patience for focus locking.

Street Photography: Portability, Discreteness, and Flexibility

Street shooting favors lightweight, discreet cameras that handle low light and quick moments.

In this dichotomy, the Nikon L820’s smaller size and lighter weight give it a portability edge. Its subtle design is less obtrusive compared to the large, DSLR-esque Fujifilm, which might draw attention in candid street setups.

However, the L820 suffers without an electronic viewfinder (EVF), so shooting under bright sunlight can be frustrating. The Fujifilm’s EVF and articulating screen offer options that aid composition and concealment in complex lighting.

Both lack silent shutter modes or whisper-quiet autofocusing, which are often preferred for stealth shooting.

Macro Photography: Close-Up Capabilities and Stabilization

Macro work demands precise focusing and stabilization to capture intricate detail at very close distances.

The Fujifilm HS50 EXR boasts a dedicated macro mode with a close focusing distance as low as 0 cm - a nod towards true macro capability. It also features optical image stabilization, which improves success rates handheld at close range.

The Nikon L820 unfortunately offers no specific macro advancements and lacks any image stabilization, making close-up work more challenging and prone to shake-induced blur.

Testing flowers and small objects confirms the Fuji’s superiority here - not only capturing fine detail but doing so with reliability.

Night and Astro Photography: High ISO, Exposure Modes, and Noise

Night photography is the ultimate sensor challenge - and both cameras must battle the small sensor’s noise constraints.

The Fujifilm HS50 EXR’s higher maximum native ISO of 12800, coupled with manual exposure and exposure compensation, offers more creative control in low light. Its EXR CMOS sensor, despite size, handles noise gently at ISO 1600-3200, enabling acceptable handheld shots without reaching for a tripod immediately.

The Nikon L820 caps max ISO at 3200 and offers no manual exposure mode, limiting user control at night. Noise levels rise quickly past ISO 800, as expected on a smaller sensor.

Neither camera is designed for serious astro pursuits, but in casual low-light work, Fujifilm’s night performance is measurably better.

Video Capabilities: Specs, Stabilization, and Audio Inputs

For those juggling stills and video, video features matter.

Both models offer Full HD 1080p recording at 60 fps (Fujifilm specifies MPEG-4/H.264 codecs), but Fujifilm wins points with a microphone input - a rarity in superzoom bridge cameras - which enables better audio quality recording.

The Nikon lacks external mic support and HDMI output, limiting video flexibility.

Neither model supports 4K or advanced video features like log profiles or in-body stabilization, but HS50’s optical stabilization assists with smoother footage.

Travel and Everyday Use: Versatility, Battery, and Connectivity

Travel photographers demand versatility, long battery life, and convenience.

The HS50’s 500-shot battery life using a proprietary lithium-ion pack exceeds the Nikon’s 320 shots on 4 AA batteries - a decisive advantage for long shooting sessions without swapping cells. The Fuji also supports HDMI output.

The Nikon’s use of AA batteries makes finding spares universally easy, but performance-wise it can leave you stranded mid-trip.

Wireless features are absent in both models, so expect to rely on physical connections for image transfers.

Professional Considerations: Workflow and Reliability

While neither camera competes with full-frame professionals, they do offer differences in workflow readiness.

The Fujifilm records RAW files, useful for color grading and editing flexibility, while the Nikon lacks RAW support entirely.

Build quality favors the Fuji’s more solid feel; though neither offers environmental sealing for rugged conditions.

Final Scorecards and Recommendations

Breaking down their scores across categories, the Fujifilm HS50 EXR dominates in image quality, autofocus, zoom reach, battery life, and manual controls, while the Nikon L820 holds its own primarily in portability and price.

Fujifilm HS50 EXR front Fujifilm HS50 EXR screen back Nikon L820 front Nikon L820 screen back

So, Which Should You Buy?

Choose the Fujifilm HS50 EXR if...

• You want extensive telephoto reach (up to 1000mm) and optical image stabilization
• You appreciate manual exposure controls, shutter/aperture priority modes, and RAW shooting
• You desire a fast, accurate autofocus system with face and eye detection
• You shoot action, wildlife, macro, or night images and need reliable performance
• Size and weight are secondary to comfort and handling stability
• You want video with microphone input and stabilization

Choose the Nikon Coolpix L820 if...

• You prioritize a lightweight, pocketable superzoom for casual travel and daily snapshots
• Price is a major constraint and you want a straightforward, point-and-shoot interface
• You have limited interest in manual controls or RAW workflow
• You favor AA battery convenience and can accept limited zoom and focusing speed
• You don’t mind the lack of viewfinder and fixed LCD screen

Parting Thoughts

In the hands of a keen enthusiast, the Fujifilm HS50 EXR remains a surprisingly capable and versatile superzoom that punches above its weight class even a decade after release. With its thoughtful ergonomics, extended zoom, powerful autofocus, and solid image quality, it feels like the budget DSLR replacement many crave, especially for those embracing multiple genres.

The Nikon L820, while friendly to novices and cost-conscious buyers, feels noticeably restrained in features and performance - a decent compact superzoom, but one that’s unlikely to satisfy users looking for something that grows with their skills.

For me, the final takeaway echoes a well-worn industry truth: in small sensor superzooms, compromises abound - but knowing exactly where you can live with those compromises is the difference between joyful shooting and frustration. The HS50 EXR strikes that balance best for most serious enthusiasts, while the L820 offers a no-fuss intro camera for simpler needs.

Happy shooting out there!